This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 101 30 760.8 filed on Jun. 22, 2001.
The invention relates to a lathe, comprising a machine frame, a first working spindle held on the machine frame and rotatable about a first spindle axis, this working spindle having a first receiving means for a first workpiece, at least one first tool carrier which can be moved in an X direction transversely to the first spindle axis for the machining of the first workpiece, a second working spindle which is rotatable about a second spindle axis, has a second workpiece receiving means for a second workpiece and in relation to the first working spindle can be brought from a position coaxial with the second spindle axis in relation to the first spindle axis into a non-coaxial position in a transverse direction extending transversely to the X direction and transversely to the first spindle axis, the first and the second spindle axes being arranged at a distance from one another in this non-coaxial position, and a first tool carrier on the front side for the machining of the first workpiece, this tool carrier being associated with a first working space and being movable from an inactive into an active position and vice versa with at least one tool as a result of a movement transversely to the X direction, as well as a second tool carrier on the front side for the machining of the second workpiece, this tool carrier being associated with a second working space and being arranged so as to be offset in the transverse direction in relation to the first working space.
Lathes of this type are known from the state of the art, for example, German patent application 196 21 406, wherein, in this known solution, the first tool carrier on the front side and the second working spindle can be moved together in the transverse direction.
As a result, it is necessary to coordinate the machining of the first workpiece with the tools arranged in the first tool carrier on the front side and the machining of the second workpiece with the tools arranged on the second tool carrier on the front side exactly with one another.
The object underlying the invention is, therefore, to design a lathe of the type described at the outset in such a manner that it is possible for machining operations on the first workpiece and the second workpiece to be as flexible as possible.
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a lathe of the type described at the outset, in that the first tool carrier on the front side and the second working spindle can be moved relative to one another in the transverse direction controlled by the machine control so that the movements of the second working spindle and the first tool carrier on the front side can be realized independently of one another.
As a result, it is possible to machine the first workpiece and the second workpiece at the same time, wherein the machining operations can be carried out disconnected from one another.
A tool carrier on the front side is to be understood within the scope of this application as a tool carrier which is arranged on a front side of a working space, in particular, opposite the working spindle. This tool carrier on the front side may bear tools, with which a front side of the workpiece can be machined but also tools for the circumferential machining at least close to the front side of the workpiece.
The relative movability of the second working spindle and the first tool carrier on the front side may be realized in the most varied of ways. It would, for example, be conceivable to move both in transverse direction on a common slide and to provide on this common cross slide an additional cross slide for the movement either of the second working spindle or of the first tool carrier on the front side in the transverse direction.
For reasons of the rigidity of the construction and the simplicity of the control, it is, however, particularly favorable when the first tool carrier on the front side and the second working spindle are each seated on a cross slide which can be moved in the transverse direction.
In principle, the first tool carrier on the front side could be displaceable with the cross slide directly in relation to the machine frame and independently thereof the second working spindle could also be arranged so as to be displaceable with the cross slide on the machine frame.
A solution which is particularly favorable from a constructional point of view on account of the space required provides for the first tool carrier on the front side to be seated on the same console as the second working spindle with its cross slide so that the mounting of the two relative to the machine frame is brought about via the console.
It is, therefore, possible, for example, to provide common guide means for the cross slide of the first tool carrier on the front side and the cross slide of the second working spindle, both being guided in the transverse direction on these guide means.
In order to have an additional axis of movement available during the machining of the first workpiece with the first tool carrier on the front side, it has proven to be favorable when the first tool carrier on the front side and the second working spindle are seated on a common slide movable in X direction in relation to the machine frame. Such a slide can be formed, for example, by the console.
This slide offers the possibility, on the one hand, of moving the tools of the first tool carrier on the front side not only in transverse direction but also in the X direction; on the other hand, this solution offers a simple possibility of positioning the second working spindle coaxially to the first working spindle for the transfer of the first machined workpiece to the second working spindle.
With respect to the movability of the second tool carrier on the front side relative to the second spindle axis, no further details have so far been given.
In principle, it is sufficient to utilize the movability of the second working spindle in the transverse direction for positioning the second workpiece relative to the tool of the second tool carrier on the front side.
If, for example, the second tool carrier on the front side is provided with a row of tools extending in the transverse direction, different tools can also be approached as a result of displacement in the transverse direction and machining operations can also be carried out at different radial distances from the second spindle axis due to the relative position of the second spindle axis in relation to the respective tool in the transverse direction.
However, in order not to allow the constructional size of the lathe to increase in the transverse direction and, therefore, also to keep the rigidity of the construction as great as possible during the machining of the second workpiece, it is preferably provided for the second tool carrier on the front side to be movable transversely to the second spindle axis and in a direction extending transversely to the transverse direction.
As a result, it is possible, on the one hand, to position the second workpiece relative to the respective tools of the second tool carrier on the front side due to the displacement of the second working spindle in the transverse direction but, at the same time, it is also possible to change from one tool of the second tool carrier on the front side to the other tool due to movement of the second tool carrier transversely to the transverse direction and, at the same time, to have two axes, namely and conventionally speaking, an X and a Y axis available for the machining of the second workpiece with each individual tool of the second tool carrier on the front side.
In this respect, the second tool carrier on the front side is preferably movable approximately in X direction.
In order, on the one hand, to achieve as rigid a construction as possible and in order, on the other hand, to keep the resources for the control of the machining of the second workpiece as small as possible, it is preferably provided for the second tool carrier on the front side to be guided on the console bearing the cross slide for the second working spindle so as to be movable so that the movement of the second tool carrier takes place relative to the part bearing the cross slide of the second working spindle and, therefore, no additional positioning inaccuracies influence the precision during the machining of the second workpiece.
With respect to the movability of the second working spindle, no further details have so far been given.
It would, for example, be conceivable to realize the transfer of the first workpiece to the second working spindle as a result of the Z displaceability of the first workpiece on account of the displaceability of the first working spindle and to realize the machining of the second workpiece as a result of a corresponding Z displaceability of the second tool carrier on the front side.
However, it has proven to be particularly favorable when the second working spindle can be displaced in the direction of the second spindle axis.
For this purpose, the second working spindle is preferably arranged on a Z slide which is seated, for its part, on the cross slide.
As a result, it is possible, on the one hand, to realize the transfer of the first workpiece to the working spindle by way of displacement of the same and, on the other hand, it is possible to realize the Z axis movement for the machining of the second workpiece with the tools of the second tool carrier on the front side by way of displacement of the working spindle.
In order to be able, in addition, to carry out more complex machining operations, it has proven to be favorable when the second working spindle can be pivoted about a pivot axis extending transversely to the second spindle axis.
This pivot axis could, in principle, extend in different directions transversely to the second spindle axis. However, a solution which is particularly favorable from a constructional point of view provides for the pivot axis to extend transversely to the X direction.
It is particularly favorable when the pivot axis extends approximately parallel to the transverse direction so that the second working spindle is not offset in a transverse direction due to pivoting thereof.
With respect to the design of the first tool carrier on the front side, no further details have so far been given. For example, it would be conceivable to bring the tools of the first tool carrier on the front side into use in that the first workpiece is moved in the direction of the tools of the first tool carrier on the front side due to the displaceability of the first working spindle in Z-direction in order to realize the required Z axis movement.
It has proven to be particularly favorable when the first tool carrier on the front side is movable in a direction parallel to the first spindle axis.
As a result, it is merely necessary to use the movability of the first workpiece in Z direction by means of the first working spindle for the relative positioning of the tools of the first tool carrier relative to the first workpiece in Z direction and independently thereof to use the tools of the first tool carrier on the front side for the machining on the first workpiece, wherein during the Z axis positioning of the first tool carrier on the front side the Z axis positions of the first workpiece, brought about by the displacement of the first working spindle, have to be taken into account for calculations. As a result, it is, however, possible to operate with the tools of the first tool carrier on the front side independently of the tools of the first tool carrier.
In this respect, it is particularly favorable when the first tool carrier on the front side and the second working spindle can be moved in the direction of the spindle axes independently of one another so that during any machining of the first and the second workpieces the tools of the first tool carrier on the front side and the tools of the second tool carrier on the front side can be used independently of one another.
From a constructional point of view, the movability of the first tool carrier on the front side in Z direction may be realized particularly favorably in that this is seated on a Z slide which can be moved in Z direction and, for its part, is seated on the cross slide for the first tool carrier on the front side.
With respect to the arrangement of the tools on the first tool carrier on the front side, no further details have so far been given.
For example, it would be conceivable to provide a single tool on the first tool carrier on the front side.
For reasons of as optimum a use of tools as possible for complex machining operations, it is particularly favorable when the first tool carrier on the front side has a row of tools arranged so as to follow one another in a longitudinal direction.
The longitudinal direction of such a row can extend in different directions. One particularly advantageous embodiment provides for the longitudinal direction to extend approximately parallel to the transverse direction so that different tools of the first tool carrier on the front side can be brought into use at the same time due to movement of this tool carrier in the transverse direction.
In addition, the number of tools may be multiplied in that the first tool carrier on the front side has at least two tools which are arranged around a pivot axis in angular spaced relationship to one another and can be brought into an active or inactive position due to pivoting of the tool carrier about the pivot axis.
As a result, it is particularly advantageous to also multiply, for example, the number of rows of tools which can be brought into use, namely in that the pivot axis extends parallel to the respective rows so that different respective rows are in an active position due to pivoting about the pivot axis.
With respect to the alignment of the pivot axis relative to the remaining axes of the lathe, it has proven to be particularly favorable when the pivot axis extends approximately parallel to the transverse direction.
In order to be able to use the pivot axis, in addition, for complex machining operations it is preferably provided for the pivot axis to be designed as a B axis which can be controlled by the machine control so that the pivot axis can be used not only to bring the plurality of tools into active or inactive positions but also to bring the tools into positions which are inclined in relation to the first spindle axis, for example, extend at an acute angle.
With respect to the arrangement of the tools on the second tool carrier on the front side, further details have likewise not been given so far. For example, in the simplest case the arrangement of a single tool on the second tool carrier on the front side would be possible. In order to be able to carry out more complex machining operations, it has proven to be advantageous when the second tool carrier on the front side has a row of tools arranged so as to follow one another in a longitudinal direction.
The longitudinal direction can likewise preferably extend in different directions. It has, however, proven to be particularly favorable when the longitudinal direction extends approximately parallel to the direction of movement of the second tool carrier on the front side. Alternatively or in addition to the arrangement of the tools in rows it is preferably provided for the second tool carrier on the front side to have at least two tools which are arranged in angular spaced relationship about a pivot axis and can be moved from an active into an inactive position and vice versa due to pivoting of the second tool carrier about the pivot axis.
Particularly in the case of the embodiments, with which the tool carriers are arranged in a row, it is preferably provided for the pivot axis to extend parallel to the rows so that different rows of tools of the second tool carrier on the front side can be brought into use due to pivoting about the pivot axis.
In this respect, it is particularly expedient when the pivot axis extends approximately parallel to the direction of movement of the second tool carrier on the front side so that no shifting in the direction of the direction of movement takes place due to pivoting of the tools about the pivot axis.
In order to also be able to carry out more complex machining operations in addition to the use of different tools, it is preferably provided for the pivot axis for the second tool carrier on the front side to be designed as a B axis which can be controlled by the machine control so that a complete B axis functionality can be realized during the pivoting of the tools of the second tool carrier on the front side and, therefore, these tools can be aligned, for example, at defined acute angles relative to the second spindle axis.
With respect to the arrangement of the tools relative to the pivot axes in the case of the tool carriers on the front side, no further details have been given in conjunction with the preceding explanations concerning the individual embodiments of the present invention. In principle, it is conceivable to arrange the tools such that the direction of force occurring during the machining runs to the side of the pivot axes, as is the case for the tool carriers with a B axis normally provided in lathes.
However, it is particularly favorable when the tools are arranged relative to the pivot axis such that the force acting on the tools during the machining is directed essentially in a radial direction in relation to the pivot axis so that the force occurring during the machining generates a negligible or at least slight torque in the direction of the pivot axis and, therefore, the pivot drive for the tool carriers on the front side need not withstand any large moments, whereby an adequately high rigidity can be achieved with a simple, mechanical construction.
The inventive lathe can be designed in the most varied of ways for the machining of the first workpiece.
For example, it would be conceivable to design the lathe as a so-called short turning lathe and to guide the first workpiece exclusively by means of the first working spindle.
In this respect, it is preferably provided for the first working spindle to be guided on the machine frame for displacement in the direction of the first spindle axis, i.e., it can be moved in Z direction so that a complete machining of the workpiece is possible due to displaceability of the first tool carrier in X direction.
It is, however, also conceivable to configure the first tool carrier so as to be displaceable, in addition, in Y direction transversely to the first spindle axis.
In another preferred embodiment of the inventive solution it is preferably provided for the guidance of the first workpiece during the machining to be brought about by a longitudinal turning guide bush. As a result, the machining of the first workpiece takes place in the manner of a longitudinal turning, wherein the guidance transversely to the spindle axis is brought about by the longitudinal turning guide bush as close to the active tools as possible.
The longitudinal turning may be realized in the most varied of ways, wherein a relative movement between the longitudinal turning guide bush and the working spindle is always required.
A particularly favorable solution provides for the longitudinal turning guide bush to be held on the machine frame so as to be non-displaceable in the direction of the first spindle axis while the displaceability in Z direction is expediently brought about by displacement of the first working spindle relative to the longitudinal turning guide bush.
Additional features of the invention are the subject matter of the following description as well as the drawings illustrating several embodiments.
In the Drawings
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of an inventive lathe;
FIG. 2 shows a front view in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a plan view in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1 in an operating state, in which the machined first workpiece has just been taken over by the second working spindle;
FIG. 4 shows an illustration similar to FIG. 3, in which a machining of the first workpiece and of the second workpiece takes place at the same time;
FIG. 5 shows a view in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1 with a console displaced to a maximum in the direction of the machine base;
FIG. 6 shows an illustration similar to FIG. 5 with a console displaced to a maximum away from the machine base;
FIG. 7 shows an enlarged, perspective view similar to FIG. 1 which shows the machining of the second workpiece with a second tool carrier on the front side with an uppermost tool;
FIG. 8 shows an illustration similar to FIG. 7 which shows a machining of the second workpiece with a lowermost tool of the second tool carrier on the front side;
FIG. 9 shows an illustration similar to FIG. 7, in which a machining of the second workpiece takes place similar to FIG. 7 and tools of the first tool carrier on the front side can be used on the first workpiece;
FIG. 10 shows a sectional, perspective illustration of a second embodiment of an inventive lathe;
FIG. 11 shows a perspective illustration of the second embodiment according to FIG. 10 viewed in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 shows a partial view of the second embodiment similar to FIG. 2 with a first row of tools of the first tool carrier on the front side in an active position and a second row of tools in an inactive position;
FIG. 13 shows an illustration similar to FIG. 12 with a second row of tools of the first tool carrier on the front side in an active position and a first row of tool carriers of the first tool carrier on the front side in an inactive position;
FIG. 14 shows an illustration similar to FIG. 12 with a first row of tools in an active position, wherein these are aligned at an acute angle relative to the first spindle axis;
FIG. 15 shows a plan view of the second embodiment similar to FIG. 3 with a second tool carrier on the front side pivoted through 90xc2x0;
FIG. 16 shows a sectional illustration of the console of the second embodiment of the inventive lathe with the second tool carrier on the front side and the second working spindle but a second spindle axis extending at right angles to the pivot axis 78;
FIG. 17 shows an illustration similar to FIG. 16 with a second spindle axis 56 extending at an angle of less than 90xc2x0 in relation to the pivot axis 78.